Compensation and Student Employee Benefits

Medical Coverage

For all PhD students in their fully funded years and/or when on a fully-funded appointment, the University offers a comprehensive health-care plan with no premiums that also covers dependents. For more information and to enroll visit the Columbia Health website.

Dental Benefits

The University offers two dental plans for all PhD students and their dependents in their fully-funded years and/or when on a fully-funded appointment. The University covers a portion of the premiums for each of these plans for students who choose to enroll.

• Emblem Dental Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan: The EmblemHealth Preferred Dental Program provides access to over 12,700 general dentists and specialists throughout the NY area. EmblemHealth's plan includes 100% paid-in-full in-network coverage for preventative dental services along with many other benefits. Please review the Emblem Dental Making the Most of Your Dental Plan brochure for more information. Note: ColumbiaDoctors Dentistry does not participate in this plan. Please review the list of participating dentists before enrolling.
  • Academic Year 2023-2024 Cost to Student:
    • $67.02 single coverage
    • $183.33 family coverage
  • How to Enroll:
    • Send an email to [email protected] with your request to enroll. A Benefits Service Center Representative will then follow up with each student to complete the enrollment.
    • If you were enrolled in EmblemHealth dental last year and wish to re-enroll for the new academic year, no action is needed. Your enrollment will roll forward automatically.
    • If you were enrolled in EmblemHealth dental last year and wish to terminate coverage for the new academic year, send an email to [email protected] with your request to unenroll.
    • Open Enrollment for the Spring 2024 term will begin December 15, 2023 and end on February 15, 2024.
  • Student Account Charges:
    • Once enrolled, you will see a charge on your student account for the full amount of the cost for the plan in which you are enrolled ($268.08 for single coverage / $733.32 family coverage).
    • The University will cover 75% of this premium cost for all PhD students and their dependents in their fully-funded years and/or when on a fully-funded appointment. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the credit on your account will be $201.06 for single coverage or $549.99 for family coverage.
    • The balance after the credit is applied ($67.02 single coverage; $183.33 family coverage) is the cost to the student.
    • If you have questions regarding the credit on your account, please contact your Financial Aid Office.
• Aetna Dental PPO Plan: Aetna Student Health offers a voluntary Dental Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan to Columbia University students and their eligible dependents. Please review the Columbia Health website for details, including the cost of the plan and the enrollment process.
  • Academic Year 2023-2024 Rates:
    • $439 student only
    • $465 spouse/partner only
    • $705 per child
    • Rates apply to each individual enrolled (e.g., the cost to enroll a student in coverage for themselves and coverage for a spouse/partner is $439+$465, before the University credit.)
  • How to Enroll:
    • To enroll go to: Columbia Health Voluntary Dental and Vision Plans for complete instructions
  • Student Account Charges:
    • When you enroll in Aetna, you will be required to pay the full amount of the premium directly to Aetna.
    • Once enrolled, you may submit the receipt of payment to your Financial Aid Office to initiate a credit on your account to offset a portion of the premium.
    • For the 2023-2024 academic year, $201.06 will be the total credit on your account for student-only coverage; $549.99 will be the total credit on your account for family coverage (student coverage plus coverage for a spouse/partner and/or a child or children) regardless of the number of individuals enrolled.
    • If you have questions regarding the credit on your account, please contact your Financial Aid Office.

Note: because the Aetna Student Dental Plan premium rates are higher than the EmblemHealth Preferred Dental Program premium rates, the cost to you of the Aetna Student Dental Plan will be higher than the Emblem Health plan, even after the credit is applied.

Health Funds

All student employees within the unit have access to two student employee support funds.

• The Student Employee Support Fund reimburses out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses of student employees. For the 2024-2025 academic year, the fund will provide $400,000 in out-of-pocket reimbursements.
• The Student Employee Dependent Support Fund reimburses out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses for dependents of student employees. For the 2024-2025 academic year, the fund will provide $225,000 starting August 15, 2024.
• Details and an application are available on the Student Support Fund Page. Questions may be sent to [email protected].

Child Care

The University provides a limited annual child care subsidy for parents registered in a PhD program who are funding eligible of $5,500 effective August 1, 2024 for each child who is under the age of 6 and not yet attending kindergarten. If both parents are funding-eligible PhD students at the University, they each may apply individually for the child care subsidy.  

Additional Benefits When on Appointment

• Advance Requests: Salaried PhD students, DMAs, and MFA students who are instructors in the University Writing Program who are experiencing financial hardship and needing an advance on their Fall 2023 funding may request such an advance. Requests may be submitted starting on August 21, 2023 and through October 6, 2023 for any amount up to $3,000. Requests submitted will be reviewed and processed promptly, and funds will be disbursed in late August or early September. The specific disbursement timeline will depend on when the documentation submission is completed and the application is approved. The student will receive an email, confirming the expected date funds are expected to be credited to their bank account or check placed in the mail. Students who may apply for this advance will see a link to the application form when logged into their student account via SSOL. Please note that there are additional criteria and conditions in order to receive this advance:
  • You must submit a request for a specific amount, up to $3,000, via the dedicated application form in SSOL.
  • The amount of the advance will appear as a charge on your student account, which must be paid prior to registering for the Spring 2024 term. To ensure there is no delay in your registration, we recommend full payment or payment arrangements be finalized to later than November 13, 2023.
  • You must be enrolled in a PhD or DMA program, or enrolled in the MFA program and an instructor in the University Writing Program.
  • You must be registered for the Fall 2023 term.
  • Your student account balance must be $5,000 or less.
  • You are currently, or are expected to be, appointed as a salaried student officer during the fall term. Students who are on $0 salary appointments, or paid fully through the lump sum stipends at the start of the fall term (external awards, training grants, etc.) are not eligible unless specifically instructed by your financial aid office.
  • All applications are subject to review for compliance with the terms described above.
• Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program (T/PRP): Student employees may participate in the University Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program (T/PRP) when they are working on salaried appointment. The T/PRP allows you to pay for commuting expenses with pre-tax dollars, deducted directly from your paycheck. See the Human Resources Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program website for more information, including how to enroll.
• Voluntary Retirement Savings Program (VRSP): Student employees may participate in the VRSP when they are working on salaried appointment. The VRSP is a 403(b) retirement plan that lets you contribute from 1% to 80% of your eligible pay, on a pre-tax (deducted along with any other taxes) and/or Roth after-tax (deducted from take-home pay) basis, up to annual IRS limit. See the Human Resources Retirement -- Student Employees website for more information, including how to enroll.